Technocracy Technocracy and Sustainabilityand Sustainability

Dr. Andrew Wallace PhDDr. Andrew Wallace PhD

OverviewOverview

Sustainability – what does that mean?Sustainability – what does that mean? The problems of this WorldThe problems of this World An introduction to TechnocracyAn introduction to Technocracy Technocracy and SustainabilityTechnocracy and Sustainability Technocracy = Utopia?Technocracy = Utopia?

SustainabilitySustainability

What does the word ”Sustainability” What does the word ”Sustainability” mean?mean?

Sustainability is a systemic concept, relating to the Sustainability is a systemic concept, relating to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects of human society, as well as the environmental aspects of human society, as well as the non-human environment. It is intended to be a means of non-human environment. It is intended to be a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and planning and acting for the ability to ecosystems, and planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals in a very long term. Sustainability maintain these ideals in a very long term. Sustainability affects every level of organization, from the local affects every level of organization, from the local neighborhood to the entire planet. neighborhood to the entire planet.

Sustainability is a systemic conceptSustainability is a systemic concept relating to the continuity of economic, social, relating to the continuity of economic, social,

institutional and environmental aspects of institutional and environmental aspects of human societyhuman society

It is intended to be a means of configuring It is intended to be a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and planning and acting for natural ecosystems, and planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals in a very long the ability to maintain these ideals in a very long term.term.

The Problems of this WorldThe Problems of this World

EnvironmentEnvironment Starvation and povertyStarvation and poverty Ozone holeOzone hole Global warmingGlobal warming Rain forestRain forest Peak oilPeak oil

EnvironmentEnvironment

PollutionPollution Soil erosionSoil erosion PesticidesPesticides Waste disposalWaste disposal

How effective are efforts to combat these problems?

Starvation and PovertyStarvation and Poverty

About 800 million About 800 million people go hungrypeople go hungry

Efforts to stop hunger, Efforts to stop hunger, starvation and poverty starvation and poverty in the world has come in the world has come to a haltto a halt

Yet we have more Yet we have more food than we can eat!food than we can eat!

Ozone HoleOzone Hole

Caused by Caused by pollutionpollution

Efforts to reduce Efforts to reduce the hole maybe the hole maybe workingworking

But what about But what about global warming?global warming?

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

Climate changeClimate change How effective are we How effective are we

at combating this?at combating this?

Rain ForestsRain Forests

From 14% to 6%From 14% to 6% Estimated that it could Estimated that it could

be gone by mid 21be gone by mid 21stst century century

Peak OilPeak Oil

Oil production is Oil production is decliningdeclining

What will happen What will happen next?next?

Question.Question.

Why do we have these problems?Why do we have these problems? Many complex reasonsMany complex reasons But the underlying reason is … But the underlying reason is …

The current socio-economic system

The system we have today does not aim for sustainability

The system has the aim of increasing wealth

Short term profit seeking at any cost

The current socio-economic systemThe current socio-economic system

Business

Government

People

Enter Technocracy!

Technocracy offers a alternative socio-economic system

How?How?

Technocracy sees society as:Technocracy sees society as: TechnologyTechnology PeoplePeople

How?How?

The technical aspects of society should be The technical aspects of society should be run by those who are experts in the run by those who are experts in the technologytechnology

The people part run by true democracyThe people part run by true democracy

How?How?

The technical aspects run with the The technical aspects run with the following goal:following goal: Highest possible standard of living for as long Highest possible standard of living for as long

as possibleas possible

Highest standard of livingHighest standard of living

Units of productions under control of Units of productions under control of experts experts

No profitNo profit Minimise energyMinimise energy Minimise wasteMinimise waste

BalanceBalance production with demands production with demands

/ needs/ needs

For as long as possibleFor as long as possible

Minimise environmental impactMinimise environmental impact

BalanceBalance the needs of society the needs of society

with the needs of the eco-systemwith the needs of the eco-system

BalanceBalance

BalanceBalance

To balance the system we propose a To balance the system we propose a system using energy rather than moneysystem using energy rather than money

Energy is needed to run anythingEnergy is needed to run anything Money is debt and value is subjectiveMoney is debt and value is subjective

Therefore not a true measure of the systemTherefore not a true measure of the system

Energy credits are given equally to all Energy credits are given equally to all citizenscitizens They decide what is to be producedThey decide what is to be produced

SummarySummary

There are a number of complex problems in the There are a number of complex problems in the world todayworld today

The underlying cause is the current socio-The underlying cause is the current socio-economic systemeconomic system

Technocracy aims to replace the current Technocracy aims to replace the current system with an alternative systemsystem with an alternative system Technical aspects rules by expertsTechnical aspects rules by experts No money but energy creditsNo money but energy credits